My husband and I have become like the two little figures in the weather clock since my mother-in-law came to live with us eighteen months ago: we cannot both be out at the same time. We make the most of the rare days when we can get away; last month we went to
Westward Ho! and on Friday last we had planned a visit to the neighbouring county of Somerset.
We set off on our perfectly planned day: a 45 minute drive to the motorway and then a further 20 minutes to our destination, a couple of hours to do some shopping, have a leisurely lunch and walk and then back home by 6pm. We had forgotten all about the holidaymakers who now go home on Friday instead of the traditional Saturday changeover day. After two hours of inching along behind camper vans and caravans we still hadn't reached the motorway. Not wanting to spend our precious day off in the car, we abandoned the shopping trip and headed for the
Fisherman's Cot:
This is where
I came in October 2007 to meet my now very dear friend D of 60goingon16 (can it really be so long ago?), so I had some very happy memories as I sipped my chilled orange juice.
As I had expected nothing more interesting than shops on this outing, I left my camera at home but I did have my new all-singing-and-dancing mobile phone. I have been waiting for my son to visit to teach me how to use it but finding myself in this lovely spot, I just had to have a go at sending a picture message to my daughter. I sent her the photo of the bridge and by return she sent me this picture of Millie in the garden - isn't modern technology wonderful?
Last week we had to make the difficult decision to cancel our planned trip to see my brother on his lovely Greek island. The Fisherman's Cot offered a small compensation in the form of an excellent Greek salad:
After lunch and a very restful time by the river we returned home, not at all disappointed by our frustrated journey. We had a delicious lunch, a peaceful couple of hours by the river Dart, I learned to use my mobile phone and we had an instant picture of Millie at play. What more could we want?
I think you're being very charitable about the whole thing!! Glad you had a good day though, despite the setbacks. I'm impressed with the phone downloading, by the way.
ReplyDeleteI hate shopping, RO, so I enjoyed the riverside lunch alternative!
ReplyDeleteI have spent a lot of time working out the best picture options, picture messaging and then how to get photos from phone to computer. I haven't mastered it all yet but I'm getting there. Now all I have to do is get up my text speed - my thumbs just don't seem to have any flexibility.
m. I'm so proud of you!
ReplyDeleteYou're right. The photos and videos from my kids' phones are every bit as good as those from a digital camera.
Ain't technology grand?
e, that is praise indeed coming from the Queen of Technology! I still have a lot to learn about this wonderful phone. It isn't made any easier by the fact that as part of their "green" policy, the company doesn't provide a user manual or disc. All instructions are in the phone itself or can be viewed on the web. I'm used to working my way through a manual, practising until I understand what I'm doing.
ReplyDeleteHave your visitors arrived yet?
m. print out the user's manual. It's worthwhile even if sometimes it can be quite lengthy.
ReplyDeleteAlas I lost my technology crown quite a while ago. New stuff is coming along at a rapid pace while my ancient grey cells are fading even faster.
We expect the French connection in a couple of weeks, but so far haven't heard the exact details.
Next week we meet the Connecticut contingent at Hogworth's. In about ten years, you may want to make a trip there with your three (and maybe more) grandchidren. I understand it's quite fantastic.
What a very difficult situation - like having a little one about the house again. I'm in the process of buying a book by Phyllida Law called Notes to My Mother-in-Law. I wonder if it might appeal to you.
ReplyDeleteNan, I look forward to reading your thoughts on the book, perhaps it will suit me very well! I hope my post didn't sound like a complaint, it was meant to be a demonstration of the unexpected good things that can come out of potential disasters and disappointments.
ReplyDeleteDearest M
ReplyDeleteI seem to keep sabotaging my comments, the latest of which I thought I left here a couple of days ago but no! Anyway, at the risk of repeating myself just wanted to say how sorry I was that you had to cancel your trip to Greece - I know how much you were looking forward to it. But at least you managed to eat Greek.
I can't believe that it's almost three years since two virtual friends stepped out from behind the anonymity of their respective blogs but, then again, it sometimes seems as if we have always been friends. (We'd better rearrange our postponed lunch pdq.)
D
ReplyDeleteI had to look twice at the date when I searched out that first meeting and yet, as you say, there doesn't seem to be a time that we weren't friends. And yes, let's get together soon. Mx